I've been to Good Dog a couple of times and, while I don't love it, the beers they get on tap keep bringing me back. I've had Barrel-aged Sierra Narwhal, 2008 Brooklyn Black Chocolate Stout, Deschutes The Abbys... these guys get good stuff, all the time.

You wouldn't know it from the outside and the inside- just an old bar in Center City frequented by people more likely to drink PBR tall boys than imperial stouts. Good Dog could be mistaken for your average Irish pub in Anytown, USA... service is not that great either, although it varies.

I always sit at the bar, which can get crowded after 5pm but I manage to find a spot even if it is by the server station. There are also booths for dining.

Prices are not bad. The Abyss was seven bucks... I'm always checking the Good Dog's tap list for new and rare arrivals. It's an easy bike ride along 15th. (860 characters)

I stopped in at the Good Dog Bar while wandering around downtown Philadelphia.

Atmosphere - The atmosphere was solid. Pretty typical bar atmosphere that wasn't bad, but it didn't stand out either.

Quality - The Quality of beers offered was very good.

Service - No complaints about the service. The waitress was friendly and helpful regarding the menu.

Selection - The selection wasn't anything to write home about, but the draft list had a nice variety, and there some good bottles to choose from as well. They had a couple nice bottles available such as The Abyss, but they were overpriced ($40).

Food - My coworkers and I did not eat here.

Value - Pretty solid value outside of the nicer beer bottles.

I'm glad I stopped in here, and I would have a problem coming here again, but there was nothing about the place that I would definitely come back for. (862 characters)

This is a small, rejuvenated Philly neighborhood bar, which has managed to retain it's old school look and feel. I had lunch and a couple Founders Breakfast Stouts. Bar tender was knowledgable and attentive. Food is good, standard bar food withs a twist. This bar will be on my list to visit during my next stay in Philly. (322 characters)

Stopped here to grab some lunch and a few beers. Definite dive bar feel to the first floor (and I did not venture up to the other floor) as there is plenty of faded and well worn dark wood, booths along one wall and the bar the other. The place is narrow and has about 15 stools at the bar. This clearly is a locals bar as the bartender and folks all seemed to know each other. Beers are listed on a blackboard above the bar.

There were 10 beers on draft during my stop, with a nice focus on local beer from Troegs, Sly Fox, Yards, and Carton. Allagash, Founders, and Lagunitas were some other well known offerings. The beers I had were very fresh.

The food was very good, not just pub grub. All the sandwiches I saw coming out were huge. Service was also super friendly and knowledgable on the beers and food. (812 characters)

Went here for a San Diego brewery tasting after passing by this place for at least a decade.

Looks on the slim side fromn outside, a nice circular neon sign stating "Good Dog" Once inside a long skinny hall with a bar seating 15 or so on the left and a row of booths that once again look small. Four people would be a bit cramped for these booths. It's a glorified dive bar with some nice wood and that Philly ceiling that I see all over. An upstairs bar with more roomy seating arraingments with circular tables although a smaller room.

Service was pretty speedy during the event with a full bar and one bartenderess who was hot as all get out, id like to buy her a drink! Management and barback seemed a bit peeved when I asked them some simple questions since I've never been. The beer tasted good, no off flavors from dirty lines. The place looked clean enough but the bathrooms could use some work and air freshner.

Every once in a while Good Dog will put on a pretty pretty good event. These events usually revolve around Bella Vista's line up because they seem to get a ton of Ballast Point. A firkin of habanero sculpin is nice plus they had some non bottled BP offerings. The bottle selection is small but covers many styles yet they dont jump out at me. Prices were on par with other Philly bars, Read- EXPENSIVE. The draft prices were on the high side as well but the tax was built into them so there is that. Damn you PHILLY BEER TAX, who cares about the education system, that went down the toilet years ago.

Between Good Dog and Blue Dog in the Suburbs, I wonder who came up with the slogan 'Come, Sit, Stay' first. Seems like a conflict of interest. (1,668 characters)

The dive bar that could. Looks like a dive bar, but.... Well, anyway, a nice place in Philly with 3 floors of noisy atmosphere, but there's still a neat charm to it. Also, they keep a good selection of local and craft brews on tap, and a decent selection in bottles. First floor has a large, busy bar and some tightly cramped tables. Second floor has more tables and a nice small bar, which is good if you can get a seat, but only seats about 5 people. Third floor has no bar, just restrooms and pool tables, so you can take your beer up and get away from the crowd a bit. Staff is nice, but some of the bartenders can be a bit inattentive or distant. I have yet to try the food here, but from what I've seen, it looks very good. Prices are reasonable to inexpensive. (767 characters)

Good Dog is one of the best beer bars/restaurants in my fair home city.

It looks like a hipster enclave, but looks can be deceiving. Good Dog is one of the friendliest, most inviting spots in town. I tend to head upstairs to the smallish (8 tables or so) dining room. There is also a small bar with a few stools I like to use. The bartenders are friendly and at the end of the bar, you get a clear look into the busy kitchen. Bonus points for having framed pictures of dogs all over the walls. Dogs are awesome.

The beer selection is great. Lots of locals (Yards, PBC, Sly Fox) and a rotating list of other American micros (Stone, Lagunitas, Russian River, etc.). Happy hour specials are great. I love getting $1.00 each can of Pikeland Pils.

The food is incredible. Good dog does a meatloaf that is better than the one my mother or wife makes (please don't tell them). The cheesesteak empanadas are also delicious.

Since appearing on Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives, Good Dog's popularity has gone through the roof. It's always worth a stop for the great, home cooked comfort food and the very good craft beer selection. (1,123 characters)

For my money, one of the best beer bars in Philadelphia. First of all, the prices are extremely reasonable. They have a small, but usually very good selection. I always see one or two beers that are very hard to find in the city. Most of the pints are around 5 bucks. I had a Rogue's Shakespeare Stout for that price last time I went. At most of the other beer bars in the city that'd be at least 6 bucks or more.

The bar is divided into three levels. The first level is a cramped, loud bar. Service is surprisingly good considering how busy it gets, but its difficult to move around. The second floor is much more appealing. It features a small "back-bar" of sorts and tables for food. The third floor is a very chill sitting area with a pool table. I'm personally not a fan of crazy busy bars, and the upstairs areas are perfect. Even on a busy Saturday night, the 3rd floor area is always pretty quiet.

I haven't had a lot of food there, but a few things do stand out. Their fries are amazing. They feature a sweet potato/regular mix. Thin cut, well salted, and served with a spicy mayo side. Believe me, when you've knocked back a few of the aforementioned Shakespeare Stouts, there are few things that taste better. Last week I tried their "Good Dog Burger." A nice 1/2 pound pattie stuffed with Roquefort cheese. Yes. Stuffed. It was topped with caramelized onions, and I added bacon (at that point, why the hell not?). It was quite good, but not the second coming people make it out to be.

Basically, for the price and the selection, I think Good Dog is in the top 5 best beer bars in the city. Whenever I have friends come down I make a point of it to go there, well within the epicenter of many other great beer bars and well worth the trip. (1,756 characters)

Look, there has been alot said about dive bars trying to be trendy, and how that may not be trendy, or divey, or I don't know...All I know is, this place has KickAss Burgers and some even more KickAss beers.

It has 3 levels, each of which offering a different atmosphere. The 1st floor in my opinion is where it is at! long, narrow, crowded and full of noise! Give me a Lagunitas and Im good! The guy on your left smells like he hasn't showered in 3 weeks and reeks of bong hits...the guy on your right just got done working his 9-5 shift at the bank across the street and just wants to sip a good brew while dredding returning home to the fam I'm sure!

Some say overrated, some say tourist trap, I say...who gives a ****! Its still a must place to go whenever in Philly! (773 characters)

Have been in Good Dog a few times over the last year or so, so I figured I put up a review.Kinda dark space. As you walk in bar w/ stools to the left, a single row of booths the right. Photos of various pooches crowd any available wall space. Mixed crowd during my visits, hipster to post-work suits. Mellow crowd, granted I've not visited past 9pm.

All draft beers listed accurately on board above the bar as well as on menus. 10 taps and a good selection of bottles. Locals are well represented. Nothing rare here but a solid selection.

Servers seemed to know their stuff, and beers were served in proper glassware.

Food is average to slightly above, burgers are a good bet.

I've enjoyed my visits to Good Dog and will visit again. (738 characters)

Good Dog was located fairly close to my hotel on a recent visit to Philadelphia (center city area). So, as the night was winding down, I popped in for a beer.

They have 10 taps by my count: Yards Philadelphia Ale, Sly Fox Dunkel, Ballast Point Big Eye, Stoudt`s Winter, and the Flying Fish Grand Cru that I drank are the ones that I recall. In addition, they have some bottles and cans...BMC, PBR and Sly Fox in the cans. It is all served by a helpful and speedy staff, (it gets busy).Overall, the vibe at Good Dog is loud and boisterous. It is a great place to unwind, and I will come back when in town again. (612 characters)

I'll be the first to admit that I just don't understand the Good Dog. It's almost always crowded, and the beer and food aren't that great. It seems to me that the younger crowd loves it for some reason, but I'm not sure why. Is it really that sociable a place? It seems loud and crowded to me. Or is it that in a crowded place there's just more women/men to choose from? Or is it that when it's really crowded you're automatically forced into other people, whereas otherwise you'd have to approach them. I dunno, I think I'm just too old for it. On the other hand, I never really liked crowded places when I was in college either. But let's forget the psychology...

The place looks OK. It's not upscale, but it's not a dive bar either. And when it's not crowded the size is good because it's kind of intimate, but still big enough. I don't even bother with the game room, and the second floor is kind of just for spill-over.

On to the beers. Well, I can't fault them there, they've got a solid selection - and they support local breweries! But there's nothing really exciting there, and with only 10 taps they're easily beat out by other places.

So what about the food. Well I've always enjoyed what I've had, but it hasn't been great. It's pretty much what you'd expect, it's not great, but it's just bar food either. And when it's not overly busy you can relax and enjoy your meal.

So what to say... ? Overall it's a pretty nice place, but it seems to be a victim of its own success in that it's always crowded (not unlike Monk's). So, I guess if you're in the area it's worth it, but Philly offers so many nicer places I can't really imagine making it a destination spot. (1,678 characters)

This is a really relaxed Center City location with nice dim lighting, great music playing at all times and cool dog photographs adorning the walls.

Although I usually post up at the bar, my girlfriend and I decided to make a date out of it and snagged a booth. She got a Franziskaner Hefeweisen and I got a bottle of Southampton Saison (which I'd been meaning to try for a while). Our waitress was very friendly, chatting over menu selections with us and bring us our drinks and silverware as fast as possible.

Besides our drink choices, they have an admirable selection of craft brews, notably Sly Fox O'Reilly and Black Raspberry, several choices from Philadelphia Brewing Company and a few out of state picks from Stone and Rogue.

For our meals, I got the Mediterranean Wrap (since it was quite warm out and I wanted something light) and my girlfriend got the Prosciutto and Fresh Mozzarella sandwich.

Mine was pretty tasty, but I don't think anything can beat the Good Dog Burger. Her sandwich was good as well, but she was a bit disappointed by the amount of fat on the prosciutto. Both meals came with shoestring fries and those were excellent as usual.

All in all, this is a great place to stop and have a drink or a meal and I wholeheartedly recommended stopping in for a couple. It's also a block away from Latimer Deli, if you want to bring a few bottles home with you. (1,427 characters)

So. Wanted to have the opportunity to meet Mr. Greg Koch tonight, so thought I'd take a chance with this place. On a Saturday night, very bad idea.

The Good Dog bar is a small, hole in the wall bar on S. 15th, very close to Rittenhouse Square. As one walks in past the friendly bouncer, one is confronted by a loud, dark, tiny bar room, with a long bar running along the left side of the room, a few booths on the right, and a couple of tables. It's very hard to see or hear inside, so who knows what sort of decorations might adorn the walls (was told by my friend later that there were a lot pictures of dogs on the wall - guess that kind of figures). Whatever. You really can't see much of anything anyway, so who cares. Service was OK, especially given the packed, frat boy atmosphere of this place. Likewise, the selection wasn't bad, with around 10 beers on tap. However, were it not for the fact they were featuring some "special" Stone beers on tap (oaked aged bastard and ruination), I don't know what I would have ordered. The tap list consists of magic hat number 9, southampton ale, troegs brown ale, guinness, and things like that. A good enough list, but in town like Philly, I can't imagine anyone would want to come here for the beer.

Maybe I'm too old or I just don't get it. My 12 ounce glass of ruination was $6, so I can't imagine people come here for cheap beer. Maybe the drinks are really strong or this is a good place for casual hook ups. Otherwise, I'll be damned if I can figure out why anyone goes here. The place was over crowded, with the music so loud you couldn't hear yourself think. There was nothing relaxing about my brief stay here, and I'm sorry, I just don't see what the attraction is. Why the regional Stone rep wanted to bring Mr. Koch here is anyone's guess. (though I did get to meet him, say hi, shake his hand, tell him how great I think his beer is, etc.)

In any event.... if you're looking for a loud, high energy, over the top crowded beer bar with a fair to good booze and beer selection, then I guess this is your place. It certainly is not mine. (2,100 characters)

This is a nice small, dark beer bar in center city Philadelphia. They focus primarily on local micrs/ craft but often get in bottles from Stone and Southampton. The music is always very good. The last time I was in there I heard Robert Johnson and Beirut played back-to-back. The service is average but the food is excellent. This place serves the best burger I've ever had. It is called the Good Dog burgr and it is stuffed with roquefort cheese that oozes out when you bite into it and it is served with sweet potato fries. It is amazing. Recommended. (553 characters)

I decided to stop in Good Dog while on a pub crawl with my homebrew club. I found the place to be slightly small, but not cramped inside the atmosphere of a corner bar.

The service is very prompt and friendly even when crowded which says a lot. I appreciated the selection which included locals like Sly Fox, Victory and other quality crafts like Southampton, Founders and Smuttynose.

The food is well made, fresh and deserves a taste. I like the atmosphere and found the value to very good - this place is the kind of pub I could see myself relaxing and watching the game at for a few hours. I look forward to stopping in here again. Thanks to Paul R for the recommendation. (679 characters)

Following a fine Tex-Mex meal at nearby Jose Pistola's (See Review), as well as to top off a day that included a morning brunch at SPTR, I went to try on nightcap at Good Dog.

It is your basic Center City bar: dark, narrow and crowded; they had the prerequisite selection of micros (Southampton Ale for me) and efficient service at the bar.

Previous reviews and additional readings claim the food to be very good. After a huge burrito at Jose Pistolero, this dog could eat nothing else. So, maybe next time, I will drop in for lunch. Good Dog does get packed on weekends, so if you seek a quiet quaff or a contemplative meal, you best try early on a weekday. Of course, long-time Beer Advocates know the drill.

This is a cute bar, with your "Awwww!"-o-Meter going off all over the place due to the photos of dogs all over the walls. There's always been something good on tap when I visited, the last time being a Southampton special for Beer Week. But it's more of a casual bar and seems to save its A-game beer for events like that.

The "crowded hallway" comment Woody mentioned is very apt- A long bar takes up most the thin room, with booths taking up the rest. You get to know many strangers personally when trying to squeeze your way to the bathroom. I haven't yet made it to the upper floors, so I'll have to save my review of them for the future.

Service is good and attentive even when it's crowded. There's a great menu with lots of sandwiches and wraps. I can vouch for the Mediterrean wrap, which is vegan, but can please a hardened carnivore like me. It came with fries that were a mix of regular and sweet potato fries- very yummy! Come hungry, as portions are on the larger size.

While this bar isn't a Philly destination spot, it's worth a try if you're pub-crawling. Nearby places are Jose Pistoles, Nodding Head, and one of the Trias. (1,143 characters)

Casey from Flying Fish told me, "Woody, it's like drinking in a crowded hallway [when you drink at Good Dog]". Ha! Dang if he was not spot (no pun intended) on in his description!

The long bar began just to the left of the entryway and ran the length of the joint. The right wall was all both seating and crowded as all get-out when we arrived. The downstairs bar also had a red pressed-tin ceiling, exposed ducting, tongue-in-groove wood paneling, numerous television monitors and a long back bar.

The second floor was a re-creation, in miniature, of the first floor. It had its own bar, the kitchen area, and some standard tables and chairs towards the front.

The third floor was a game room with a pool table, Ms. Pac-Man, and a couple of other electronic games. I was really impressed by the bone-shaped chalkboards that utilized colored chalk. From up here there was a great view of the street scene below, but the stairwell going back down was vertigo inducing.

I avoided this place for awhile, because I liked Frank Clements and hated to see it cleaned up. I also was suspicious of the goofy theme. When I finally got around to visiting, I was happy that the bar still retains the FC grit (although the vibe is now more hipster grit than local dive grit) and still feels more like a local establishment than a yuppie destination bar. The clientele is cool and diverse. I really like the claustrophobic classic dark-wood main bar area. The barstools are conducive to conversation and the booths are comfortable.

The food is fantastic. I wish the menu were a little more diverse, and I'm not crazy about the silly nods to ultra-casual diners like gourmet peanut butter and jelly sandwiches. That's more dumb than interesting. But the standard dishes are very well done. The burger and fries are particularly terrific.

The beer is good, although as others have noted, if your objective is to drink unusual or exotic beer, you'll likely be disappointed. And I wish they more frequently had a standard micro-ale (they carry the Yards Philly Pale ale, which is good but a bit light for my taste, and the Dogfish Head IPA, which is also good, but, if I am planning a long evening of drinking, is a bit strong for my taste-- it'd be nice to have something in between).

Ultimately, I really like the place. Not that ambitious, but what it does, it does very well. (1,397 characters)

I lived down the block from the Good Dog for a couple years, so I frequented the spot, especially during the Wednesday Can Night (dollar off all cans) and Happy Hour (which they also had on weekends, always a plus). It's a solid place, with an okay pool table that is usually empty except for busy nights. Fairly good selection: generally a Troegs, Dogfish Head, Flying Fish, and maybe Magic Hat, as well as a fairly good bottle selection (got a Anchor Steam there). Food is fairly good, although seating is sometimes hard to come by. Either way, it's a good, chill spot with pretty good music and a good atmosphere. (616 characters)

This bar is right around the corner from me, and I've been there a half-dozen times or so. This is the kind of place that's so much better now that the smoking ban is in place (as long as you're a non-smoker).

The atmosphere is pretty dark (although I've never been there when it's light outside). There are a couple of levels, with a long bar on the ground floor and booths lining the other wall. Upstairs, there is another bar and tables. The place is often crowded and there isn't much in the way of standing room around the bars. I've never had a problem with the service -- usually the same couple of twenty-something waiters who don't bullshit around, and get what you ask for in a timely manner without any attitude. There is a decent selection of beers on tap, usually a good selection of local micros, Sam Adams, etc. This place is no beer drinker's paradise, but always has some good offerings. I've found the food to be excellent for "pub fare" and is very cheese-heavy. The Good Dog burger (stuffed with roquefort cheese) is a nice treat for a burger fan like me, and the sweet potato fries are always great. The cheesesteak empanadas are inventive, crispy, and delicious. The chicken chili is creamy and hearty. The prosciutto and mozzerella sandwich is also a good lighter choice. Although I haven't had the mac and cheese, my roommate swears by it. The only dessert I've had is the rice crisy treat sampler, which was really good, but maybe not worth $5. The prices for the beer and food are really reasonable here -- you definately won't break the bank.

This is a great little spot on 15th Street. Not necessarily a "beer bar" but it always has a fun local crowd that enjoys a quality pint and pub food with a little twist. (1,747 characters)

This bar is real dark and real narrow, esentially a very long dark room. Bar runs most of the length of the room on the left. About 20? or so seats. Can get real crowded if there is no more room at the bar.

Decent selection of locals and craft. Recently got kicked in the ass by a 10 year Alt from Victory there. A ncie selection of Sly fox, Flying Fish, DFH, etc... on tap.

Not really a true destination bar but better than your average BMC fest. Centrally located, but there are much better bars right around the corner. A big happy hour place for some center city workers. (583 characters)

Initially started coming to the Good Dog as an after work drink destination because some of my colleagues live a block or so away. I began going back not for the beer (Monk's is a block away...enough said) but for the food, the atmosphere, and the fact that I know I should be able to get a seat at the bar whenever, which is something places like Monk's don't always offer.

The food is not mindblowing bar food (think Standard Tap) but it is very good bar food, and they stuff their burger with Roquefort cheese. It's awesome. And they have sweet potato fries. Check plus. Food prices and draught prices are also very reasonable, though I hear the bottles are pricey. Stick with the draughts anyway, they offer a better, albeit not uncommon local selection. Victory, Yards, Dogfish Head and Sly Fox are all regulars, with the occasional Stoudt's, Magic Hat and Troegs. Standard Hoegaarden and Leffe as well, but who wants that when Sly Fox Helles and DFH 60 Minute IPA are tapped?

Service is prompt and friendly at the bar or at a table in the dark and smoky-when-it's-crowded first floor. I'm yet to venture upstairs. A few TV's downstairs and a jukebox that always seems to be playing something eclectic and/or interesting. Wide range of musical tastes here, which certianly enhances the experience.

Certainly not a destination, but worth a stop in for some inexpensive (relative to other CC establishments), tasty bar food and a few local pints. (1,461 characters)